What's Going On With The Drink Upcharge At McDonald's?

Complaints about McDonald's drink prices are nothing new — and it isn't the only chain facing criticism. Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts have also been called out for unfair pricing, especially for upcharges on non-dairy alternatives. Social media is flooded with claims from McDonald's customers who say they've been blindsided by surprise upcharges on their drinks. These complaints have been going on for at least a decade.

One commenter, who claimed to be a former McDonald's employee, posted on Facebook that they had never been charged extra for changing a drink. However, other customers report being charged for switching from Coke to Sprite in a $5 meal — sometimes by as much as an extra 40 cents. There are also claims of charges for ice and even one instance in which a customer was allegedly charged 20 cents more because they didn't specify they wanted a small coffee, causing the drink to be automatically upgraded to a medium.

McDonald's has not commented on these claims. So, how could all this be happening? Why do prices seem to change depending on location? The answer lies in the fact that each McDonald's franchise can set its own prices. This means drink upcharges are the franchise owner's  decision, not something determined by the corporation. While McDonald's is focusing on plans to expand stores and a new restaurant, CosMc's (which has the potential to compete with Starbucks due to its drink-heavy menu), the company is also facing legal challenges over these drink upcharges.

Although some lawsuits have been dismissed, including one in which a Chicago man claimed McDonald's was double-taxing soft drinks. However, other lawsuits are still active. A few years ago, a class action lawsuit was filed against McDonald's, alleging that the restaurant was sneaking in extra charges for drinks in its meal combos. The plaintiff, Paul Bledsoe, claimed he was hit with one of these charges when he ordered a breakfast combo at a California location in 2017. The total was supposed to be $5.10 before tax. Sounds good, right? Well, it was — until Bledsoe noticed an additional 29-cent charge for his coffee. The lawsuit not only claims this happened to Bledsoe but argues it's happening across the country.

In the past year, another class action lawsuit was filed in California claiming McDonald's used a picture of orange juice in their breakfast combo ads, making it look like the drink was included. It actually costs extra. The lawsuit also says customers aren't told about the charge and only find out after seeing their receipt. The complaint states that the plaintiff had no idea about the extra charge because the fine print in the ads near the drive-thru was too small to read.

So, what does this mean for the future? You might have to pay for refills soon, too. With McDonald's planning to remove all self-serve drink stations by 2032, each franchise will have the option to decide whether or not to charge for refills.